The Bellingham Real Estate Blog » Sudden Valley

20 Inlet Circle Bellingham Wa – An Adventure in the Making

Rich — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:30:15 +0000

20 Inlet Circle in Sudden Valley Has Just Hit the Market

Let the Adventure Begin

Whether it’s a Holiday occasion centered around the gourmet kitchen, a feature film in the media room, a quiet moment next to the fireplace or a cup of coffee on the deck watching the sun come up over Lake Whatcom, this home provides it all in style wrapped around granite, slate, travertine tile, wood floors & custom cabinets of the highest quality. The adventure continues w/ beaches, marina, Lake Whatcom, golf & tennis all only minutes away.

If you’d like to visit our on-line Open House, we ask you now to join us in a tour. We think you’ll enjoy the spaces, the natural light, the privacy, the quality of construction & the features the builder integrated into our home. Please join us now…………………………………………………….

If you need an added enticement, consider the Marina and the fun you could have there. This is truely much more than just a home. It’s a lifestyle that is available to you now at a very affordable price.

The Marina - Only a Short Walk Away

The dream can be your today call The Johnson Team today for an appointment at 1-888-713-3056

For more information on Bellingham Real Estate or to search for homes in the Bellingham and Whatcom County area visit www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com, your one stop Bellingham real estate and community information resource!

Tips for keeping you and your home safe in windstorms

Fawn — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:44:07 +0000

In the wake of all the windstorms and the forecast calling for yet more wind I pulled up an email I received from Jefferson Livingston at Pillar to Post Inspection Services in regards to tips for getting ready for wind storms.

Most of these items should be checked before a storm but also after to evaluate possible damage caused by the storm. Often the initial damage caused by the storm becomes much more significant if not quickly repaired. Many of these items should be corrected or inspected by a licensed professional as doing so can be hazardous. Work with reputable contractors & ask for references.

-Block your foundations vents but be sure to remove blocks after freezing weather ends.

- Keep water running slightly at sinks to help prevent freezing pipes.

-If you have a vacant home keep the temperature above 55 degrees & cupboard doors open to help prevent freezing pipes.

-Collect any loose items in yard such as toys or lawn chairs that may be blown against a home. Even larger items such as detached sheds or storage buildings may need to be strapped down or anchored.

-Review your fence for loose panels or boards. The wind can further damage these or potentially blow them into the home.

-Have a licensed inspector or contractor check to see that your skylights are properly secured to help avoid having them blow off.

-Have a licensed home inspector or contractor check flue caps & other items on the roof that may come loose during a storm. (Damaged flues can allow carbon monoxide to enter the home which can be deadly)

-Have trees & branches professionally trimmed back from the home & power lines at least six feet to help prevent them from causing damage.

-Have trees around home & other structures evaluated by a licensed arborist to be sure they are healthy & do not pose a threat to the home. (Trees may sometimes appear healthy but have significant rot or disease that may result in fallen branches or entire trees.)

-Have at least a 72 hour supply of food, water, flashlights, batteries, medicine & etc in case of power outages & the potential inability to leave your home due to blocked roads or other issues.(Go to www.redcross.org for more information)

-With a pair of binoculars evaluate the roof for loose or missing shingles. One loose shingle can create a weak spot allowing more damage in future storms not to mention potential leaks.

-Have your chimney professionally reviewed before & after the storm for loose mortar & bricks. Bricks can be blown off damaging more than just your chimney.

-Evaluate your windows for cracks that may grow or possibly lead to shattered windows during a storm. If damaged during the storm cover broken windows or other holes in the home immediately to avoid water damage.

-Be sure all drains & gutters etc are clear to help prevent leaking or flooding.

-After the storm visually check for loose power lines. Do not, under any circumstances, go near downed power lines. Be aware that the ground near downed power lines may also be electrified.

-After the storm, be sure all drains, gutters, & roofing are cleared of debris as this could lead to structural damage. This should be completed by a qualified contractor.

-Remove debris from yard as this can attract insects.

-After the storm check to see that garage doors are not damaged and are safely on their tracks.

Thanks Jefferson for the helpful tips and hints! Stay safe in the wind.

Bellingham / Sudden Valley Open House

Rich — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:42:59 +0000

Real Estate Open Houses in Bellingham and Sudden Valley

For those interested in attending an Open House in Bellingham, Sudden valley or Whatcom County this week-end, it has never been easier. The Johnson Team at the Muljat Group has historically held open-houses throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County every week on Sunday afternoons. For you, these Bellingham / Whatcom County open houses will provide not only the opportunity to view a home “live” but also to meet one of four dedicated agents. Our agents understand that you are busy, and may not be able to make it to a particular open house during our standard showing days, so if you are interested in viewing any home in Whatcom County, please give us a call at (360) 527-8766 and we’ll work to accommodate your schedule.

For those of you who have a Family barbecue scheduled for Sunday but still want to stay on top of the newest listings, you can view them 24/7 on our New Listing Alert web site. This site only includes new listings and it updates almost in real time. If you bookmark this site, you’ll learn about it almost before the ink dries on the listing.

If you have interest in Bank Owned Homes or Short Sale listings in Bellingham / Whatcom County, you can view them on-line at our Bellingham and Whatcom County Short Sale Search.

But back to our Open House scheduled for this Sunday.

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Rich Johnson will be holding open 138 Polo Park Dr in Sudden Valley open on Sunday from 12;00 to 2:00. This home is well designed with spaces for everyone and every activity. Custom cabinets, granite and fixturing have been added to the kitchen making it an entertainer’s dream. The kitchen and spacious dining room will be the center for those Special Occassions. Add in a rec room den & crafts area and you’ll never want to leave. Designer colors & lighting have been used throughout creating relaxing and exciting spaces. Outside is an easy to maintain private yard with ample room to roam.

Hope to see you there.

Bellingham Real Estate Brokers Caravans

Rich — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:42:36 +0000

Bellingham Real Estate Caravans

Sudden Valley Broker's Carvan

It’s been a busy week but we have fit in a couple of really successful Broker’s Caravans this week.

The first Real Estate Caravan included 13 homes in Sudden Valley that were located in Gate 1 and the northern end of Gate 3. There were 13 agents from a variety of offices that participated with their listings. They, in turn, invited agents from their offices to join them as well. The result was a pretty lively group of people who started the day off charged with Real Estate.

The Ideal Real Estate Car for Sudden Valley

It turned out that Becki Taylor and her side kick JoAnne Wyatt, both of Windermere, had the ideal Real Estate car. Becki showed up in a Smart Car which turned out be be just the ticket for manuvering in Sudden Valley. The darn thing has the turning radius of a rollar skate.

The second Real Estate Caravan included a total of 15 homes that were located primarily along the Lakeway corridor from Yew St East to Columbus. There were several offices represented with a total of 18 real estate agents.

Broker's Caravan along Lakeway Dr Bellingham

At any rate, the net effect was that we were able to preview 28 homes in short order and had a much better idea of the marketplace after we were done than we did when we first started.

If you have any comments or questions about your neighborhood, we’d be delighted to hear from you. It’s easy – just leave a comment on this blog post.

What’s Happening in the Bellingham & Whatcom County Real Estate Market?

Fawn — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:26:55 +0000

Whatcom County sales are coming back, although the resurgence is spotty.

Bellingham sold 100 houses in June of both 2008 & 2009
Sudden Valley was up from 8 sales in 2008 to 22 in 2009
Ferndale & Birch Bay/Blaine also had more sales in June 2009 than in June 2008
Lynden had the largest drop in sales, from 21 last year to 15 this year
Whatcom County as a whole was up almost 12% in the number of residences sold

The higher numbers were not totally unexpected, as pending sales have been rising for most areas relative to last year, while inventory levels continue to fall.

Prices dropped across the board from June of 2008, but the average sale price for Whatcom County as a whole is up by 3% and the median by 2.2% from May, which is more indicative of what our market is doing right now. An interesting side note is that the percentage of sale price to list price has stayed quite consistent over the past year.

Bellingham: June 2008/June 2009 Average down 18%, Median down 10.8%
Bellingham: May 2009/June 2009 Average up 6.3%, Median up 9.6%
Total Whatcom County: June 2008/June 2009 Average down 17.7%, Median down 9.6%
Total Whatcom County: May 2009/June 2009 Average up 3%, Median up 2.2%

As the chart below clearly shows, we went to a new, lower “normal” price range after August of last year, but unit sales are showing a sharper seasonal increase than they did a year ago.

So where is the Bellingham and Whatcom County Real Estate Market going? Visit www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com to view the complete June 2009 Month End real estate report .

Bellingham & Whatcom County Weekly Real Estate Activity

Fawn — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:52:06 +0000

Weekly we keep track of the number of homes on the market that have offers on them and those that do not, this is what we call Pending Ratios.

As of today July 6th the pending ratio in Bellingham was 23%. Bellingham’s pending ratio remained stable from the previous week’s percentage of 25%. Pending is the time frame between when an offer has been mutual accepted between the buyer’s and the seller’s of the home and when the title actually transfers hands. This give the buyer’s time to get the financing, do inspection, review the title reports and more.

Birch Bay had a pending ratio of 18%.

Ferndale has a pending ratio of 20%.

The Lynden area in East Whatcom County has a pending ratio of 15%.

The Sudden Valley pending ratio was 23%.

To view a complete history of Whatcom County Pending Ratios or for other real estate statistics don’t hesitate to contact The Johnson Team at (360) 303-2734 or by email at Info@JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com

138 Polo Park Dr / New Sudden Valley Listing

Rich — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:16:34 +0000

New Bellingham Real Estate Listing in Sudden Valley

Welcome to 138 Polo Park Dr. This is a wonderful new listing in Sudden Valley that has just come on the market. This is a 4 bedroom home with 3 full baths that has undergone a recent remodel. Come take a tour through it with us. I think you’ll enjoy it.

You might enjoy accessing the full photo presentation for this property. For those of you not familiar with Sudden Valley, you might find our on-line photo presentation useful.

Sudden Valley Listing Photo Presentation

If you’d care to preview this home, call The Johnson Team at 1-888-713-3056 and they will arrange for your private viewing. If you’d care to see what other homes are available in Sudden Valley, feel free to use our “Real Estate Open House System”. It’s available for use at your leisure and is updated in real time. You’ll never be disappointed because you missed a listing if you use this update tool.

Sudden Valley Real Estate Statistics for the last 2 weeks of December

Fawn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:09:18 +0000

Currently this week in Sudden Valley, WA the Pending Ratio is 19%, which is down 1 percentage point from the ratio posted two weeks ago. The pending ratios are the percentage of homes listed that have pending offers on them.

Below is a graph to view the Sudden Valley Real Estate pending sales trend.

To view the pending ratios in numerical form click here

Sudden Valley Real Estate Statistics for the Week Beginning Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008

Fawn — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:54:23 +0000

Currently this week in Sudden Valley, WA the Pending Ratio is 14%, which is up one percentage point from the 13% ratio posted last week. The pending ratios are the percentage of homes listed that have pending offers on them.

Below is a graph to view the Sudden Valley Real Estate pending sales trend.

To view the pending ratios in numerical form click here

Lummi Island Ferry Punchcards

Lylene — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:01:47 +0000

If you are still holding onto unused Lummi Island ferry punchcards that expired on June 1st, you have a limited time to exchange them for credit toward new cards. With the summer car and driver rate up to $10 per trip, purchase of a new 10 trip punch card at $72 will save you $2.80 per trip, and purchase of a 25 trip punch card at $160 will save $3.60 per trip. It’s worth stopping at the 2nd floor of 322 N Commercial St (across from the library lawn). . . or call 360-676-6876 and they will tell you how to exchange your old cards by mail. The deadline for exchange is August 29th. �